Stoops, Sooners Preview Big 12 Opener

NORMAN, Okla. -- Coach Stoops and Oklahoma players met with the media Tuesday in advance of this week's Big 12 opener vs. Missouri. The Sooners and Tigers kick off at 7 p.m. (CT) Saturday on Owen Field. The game will be televised on FX.

For complete coverage throughout the week, details on attending the game and broadcast options for following from around the world, visit Sooner Gameday Central.

Head Coach Bob Stoops

Opening comments:
"Going back through the Florida State game again I am very proud of our players efforts and making plays throughout the game and then in the fourth quarter to win it. It was a great game and a great environment. It's been talked about a lot as a great crowd and an exciting venue to play in. Florida State had a very good game. They are an excellent football team, and they are going to go on to have a great year.

"Defensively I was really pleased throughout the game. Holding them [Florida State] to two field goals until the fourth quarter was really great defense, and really throughout the fourth quarter outside of the one play that Florida State scored on, the defense played well. The rest of the time I thought the defense played well. We got six sacks and forced a couple of turnovers. Tom Wort and Javon Harris were our players of the game; they both had huge games. Frank Alexander up front also had a really good game, and Travis Lewis looked good also. Really everyone played great, but those guys really stood out.

"Offensively I was really pleased with the ability to run the football. In particular the way we started the game to calm the crowd, and start the game with an 80-yard drive was really great. The way we ended the game to get the two-possession lead and to run the clock down was really great also. We had a little bit of a tough go in between the first and fourth quarters, but remember Florida State's front four are maybe the best or comparable to anyone we are going to play all year. They deserve some credit. I thought Landry was really good all night in particular during the fourth quarter when we really needed him. The running backs did a nice job and took care of the football and picked up blitzes. Tress Way had a really good game punting the ball, and our coverage was great. A really solid game and I think it gives our players a lot of confidence playing well in the fourth quarter and away from home. Kenny Stills was the offensive player of the game. Gabe Ikard and Ben Habern had a really good game up front.

"Going into this week it's a really big game. Missouri is a really good team. A year ago we were ranked No. 1 when we went up there and they knocked us off and beat us well. They are still good in everything that they were good in a year ago. They have a very balanced offense. Their defense mixes it up. They are strong and coming after you. It's going to be a challenge. We are looking forward to it and we are going to be prepared come Saturday."

On Travis Lewis:
"He really didn't have much contact during the week of practice leading up to Florida State. He had some on Thursday, which we were just in shoulder pad and helmets. You really rely on Travis' experience. He has played a long time. We trusted he would be ready to play and he was; conditioning wise he said he really only tired at the beginning of the game which is natural with the excitement plus going out there full speed for the first time in five weeks but he adjusted really quickly after that."

On if this defense has the chance to be one of the better defenses:
"I definitely think they do. If we can get everyone back at full speed and healthy we have the chance to be one of the best defenses we've had. A big positive was Javon Harris' play since he didn't play much a year ago. I think he will continue to come on and Tom Wort was also a big question mark, but here he is and the last two weeks he has been player of the game. We are getting there. The front four are really playing great; Casey Walker, Stacey McGee, Jamarkus McFarland and Ronnell Lewis."

On how he feels playing Missouri:
"We got embarrassed with the way we played last year against Missouri. What works for us is the way you prepare, the way you work and the way you play the game. We are very aware of who we are playing next week. It's our first conference game, they are an excellent team, we were No. 1 last year when they beat us and there is a lot of respect there. We understand what a game this is going to be."

On Landry Jones:
"He has been really special. He has become a guy in what I feel that has become really comfortable in those moments. Even in the loud and hostile environment, we had pretty sharp play by the offense with Landry leading them. He had to personally tell each guy most of the play calls and get the snap off in time and execute. He is a bright guy, but his poise and confidence right now our on another level."

On Kenny Stills:
"Kenny is a unique character, a great young man. He is a bright guy and really fun. The players all really love him, but above all he is competitive. He likes to play and he's tough and talented. He has speed and the hands. He is still really young, but he is not a freshman anymore, which he showed the other night. I think Kenny is just going to get better and better."

Sophomore LB Tony Jefferson

On the defense and its pressure on opposing offenses:
"We have a lot of fast guys coming off the edge, even our defensive ends. It just mixes up a lot of stuff. We blitz a lot of guys and still have guys back in coverage that can cover pretty well, and it is just going to confuse the offense.

"When you have good blitzers like we do, it is just going to be effective and cause the quarterback to throw pretty fast."

On the Missouri game and how they will make a change from last year:
"We have a lot to prove to them. They got after us last year, and there is nothing that we can say to defend that, but this week is definitely going to be a physical week for us.

"We know that they spread that offense out a lot. They have a quarterback that runs whenever he wants to and we are going to have to keep tackling him and contain that passing game that they have. I think it will be a pretty good game for us. We just want to get out there and show them that we are a much better football team than we were last year."

On playing two positions:
"It is pretty fun being able to play two different positions. I just hope that I get more open field tackles back there. But just coming full speed, head-on, head-on with the running back excites me. I like being close to the line of scrimmage."

On Tom Wort:
"Since the spring, he has stepped up as a leader and he has been all that we have been looking for and he hasn't even reached his peak yet. He is really talented and a leader on the defense."

Senior OL Donald Stephenson

On the difficulty of facing Florida State's defensive line:
"I think we did pretty well in certain situations, but there are still a lot of things we need to work on. Here it was our second game and coming off a bye week, so we were a little rusty in certain places and it was hard to get calls in due to the noise. Usually the tackles have struggled in those situations being out on the edge, but I think we handled it all pretty well."

On progression in the running game:
"We feel good about it and we see us getting better. Last year, I don't think we would've run the ball that well in tough situations. But, like I said, there are still a lot of things we still need to work on. It's still the second game and all we can do is improve from here."

On Missouri's defense:
"They have a lot of talented guys. We think they'll be ready to play us, but we still have a lot of film to watch and practice. After this I'm going to get in there and do some more film watching."

On thoughts of last year's loss to Missouri:
"I do remember last year. It wasn't a good feeling and I definitely think we're a better team going against them this time. They won't see the same team this year like they did last year."

On carrying momentum from last week into the Missouri game:
"Just looking at our schedule this year, you have to stay humble. Florida State is a good team, but it wasn't a conference game and usually teams in your conference play you harder. So, we're not satisfied at all. We still have a lot of work to do. We can go back and look at the Florida State game and point out a lot of things that we need to get fixed. All we can do is stay humble and try to get all those things fixed so we can be the team we want to be."

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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